The Trip of a Lifetime
by thelasttimelady101
Summary: Nine/Rose. Road Trip AU.


He wasn't sure how he ended up in the stereotypical American diner. He didn't even think as he took the plane to America and bought a cheap blue car. John Smith was always running. He ran off to the military when his parents died. So his sister, Sarah Jane, shouldn't have been surprised that when he returned from the war, he would run again. And here he was, sitting in a diner in the middle of nowhere with nowhere else to go. And maybe he was a little lost. But as he sat in the vinyl booth, he realized that maybe he wasn't the only one. The diner seemed to be filled with people like him.

The door chimed as it opened, and in walked a rather pretty blonde, with hazel eyes rimmed with a little too much mascara, a little too much eyeliner, and a mouth that was slightly too big for her face. But still, she was quite beautiful. But she wasn't alone. Of course she wasn't. Beside her stood a tall bloke that looked a little too sure of himself and John immediately disliked him. So he was a little disgruntled when they were seated in the booth right in front of him.

"Jimmy, I thought you said you had everything planned out. That we were gonna head to California where we would meet your buddies so you could start your band," the blonde complained.

The first thing John noticed was that she was British and that it was a quite the coincidence that he would end up in the same diner as another British couple. Her accent clearly indicated that she was from London, but she seemed far too young to be in America with her boyfriend. But that was none of John's business anyway.

"Relax, babe, I told you that everything's gonna work out and when I'm a rich and famous musician, you're gonna regret all of this complaining," the other man, Jimmy, replied, annoyed.

The couple then fell into silence and were served their food as John finished his and got the check. And with one last glance at the couple, he left the diner.

Later, John returned to the same diner for one last meal before he left to the next town, wherever that may be. It was around nine at night and there were only a few people there. He was about to head to the same booth he sat at during lunch, when he noticed a blonde sitting in a corner booth. It was the same girl from earlier. Her eye makeup was smeared and running down her cheeks along with the tears pouring from her eyes.

John told himself not to get involved. That it would only be trouble when her boyfriend returned. He'd seen how possessive that Jimmy bloke had been of her earlier. But he found himself walking towards her anyway. And against his better judgment, he sat down.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he sat down.

" 'm fine," she whispered, tears still falling down her cheeks.

"Well, you don't look it," John muttered, before he could stop himself.

"Thanks, Captain Obvious," she said angrily, "if you're gonna just sit here and insult me you can just leave."

"Sorry-Sorry, I didn't mean that," he said hastily, "that's me-rude and not ginger."

When she didn't respond John mentally kicked himself for being such an idiot.

"I'm John," he offered, "I saw you here earlier with your boyfriend"

At the mention of her boyfriend, her eyes welled up with fresh tears, and John winced.

"I'm Rose, Rose Tyler," She responded anyway, "And he's not my boyfriend, not anymore."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he offered, even though he wasn't sorry at all, "if it makes you feel any better, he didn't look like he deserved you."

"I shouldn't have trusted him. I should've listened to my mum. She always said he was taking advantage of me. And that he would just leave me, and it turns out she was right. He just left! The tosser took all of the money that I withdrew from my savings before we left London and just left me here!" She suddenly burst out angrily, " 'm sorry, you probably don't want to know about any of this."

She looked increasingly embarrassed and moved to stand up as she said, "I dont even know why I told you all of that."

Impulsively, John reached out and grabbed her arm before she could leave.

"No, Rose, it's fine. I don't mind. Sit down, let me buy you some dinner."

Rose looked toward the door before slowly sitting down again. She was still embarrassed from her rant but throughout the meal she opened up to him again. He didn't understand how she could trust a stranger like him, but perhaps she was a little lost like him. She told him of her dad dying when she was a baby and growing up on the estates with her mum. She told him of Jimmy's false promises and how she didn't take her A levels. And he just listened, fascinated by the young girl of only nineteen sitting in front of him.

When they finished her meal, he impulsively offered to let her stay in his motel room for the night. The moment the words left his mouth, she clammed up. Sensing her walls going up again, he rushed to assure her he didn't expect anything from her. He had the feeling that she was used to men always requiring something in return. He told her that she could take the bed for the night and he would sleep on the couch. She still looked apprehensive, but agreed.

The next morning, he left her sleeping in the bed while he prepared to leave again. Just as he was packing up everything into his slightly unreliable, bright blue car, she walked out and saw him.

"Thanks, John, for everything," She said upon reaching him.

"Rose, What're you gonna do now?" he asked, still concerned about her. It was dangerous for someone as young as her to be alone in an unfamiliar area.

"Oh, I don't know," She replied, trying to hide how scared she was, "I think I'll just stick around here a little longer and figure out what I can do. I can't go back home, I can't face my mum after what I did."

"Come with me," He blurted out. Both of their eyes went wide as soon as he said that. He cursed himself. It was completely wrong for him to ask that of her. He was an old and battered soldier while she was so young and had so much life left in her.

To his surprise, she smiled.

"Isn't it a little dangerous for me to go off with a complete stranger? This is the kind of thing they always warn you about," she said, still smiling, and he could see a hint of pink between her teeth where her tongue poked out.

"Yeah, but better me than someone else, Rose," he told her seriously, shuddering to think of the kind of man that might ask her the same thing.

"I know," she replied, just as seriously as him, "and I trust you, I don't know why, but I do."

And together, they set off on the road.

A few days later, Rose was sitting in the passenger's seat when she pulled a cigarette and lighter out of her purse.

John glanced at her while she did so and commented, "You know, you shouldn't smoke. It's very bad for you."

Rose glanced up at him with her tongue in teeth smile, and replied, "Who are you, my Doctor?"

John glared at her for her teasing but never protested when she started calling him "Doctor."

They had been driving around the country for the past few months, and John had never felt lighter. Just as she had told him everything about her, he did the same. He told her how his parents died and he left his sister alone to join the military. He told her how he had only stayed with her for a week when he returned before running again. And just as he had, she just listened. She didn't judge him for his mistakes just as he hadn't with her. They were perfectly content as traveling companions.

At least until they end up in a bar in Utah. John had told her she should at least call her mum and give her some peace of mind. Rose, still feeling guilty, flat out refused, which lead to a rather large argument where he called her immature and incapable of taking care of herself, while Rose called him controlling and that he couldn't tell her what to do with her life. After that, she stormed off to the other side of the bar with a parting remark about him not being able to replace her father.

Wincing at that last comment, John let her go, watching her as she openly flirted with a group of men. What she said was just another reminder at how young she truly was, and that he could pass as her father. He heard her flirting with a bloke called Adam, laughing at his jokes, and touching his arm. He felt his anger rising and fought to keep it down. After all, after what she told him just proved that she didn't feel anything near romantic towards him, and of course, neither did he, right? Still, he tried his best to ignore Rose and her pretty boy but he couldn't bear to watch them anymore. So he left to go to their hotel room, where he tried to ignore that she didn't return at all that night.

Eventually morning came, and Rose walked into the room, wearing the same clothes she wore the night before, except they were much more rumpled than they had been when he last saw her.

Their eyes met and before John could look away, she whispered, "Doctor, I'm sorry."

He nodded, then said he was sorry too and they never spoke of it again even though John knew she was apologizing for more than just their argument.

After that day, John and Rose fell back into their normal routine and found themselves in San Francisco, California. They were at another bar one night, and as Rose found herself another pretty boy to flirt with, who claimed to be a Captain, John decided that they would not be going to anymore bars. After Utah, a few months before, John was starting to realize that maybe he did care for Rose, in a way that was more than friendly. And there were moments where he thought she felt the same, as she fondly called him Doctor and gave him her signature smile while they bantered.

But tonight, he was having a hard time believing she could feel the same way. He watched as she danced with Captain Jack, as she referred to him, to "Moonlight Serenade." When the song was over, Rose and Jack returned to the table where John was brooding, arms around each other. Rose sat down as Jack went to buy more drinks.

"What's with you tonight, Doctor," Rose asked as Jack walked away.

"Nothing's wrong, Rose," John muttered, not looking at her.

"Is it Captain Jack?" Rose persisted, "Is someone experiencing Captain Envy?" she teased.

"Rose, that man is not a Captain," John said in a patronizing tone.

"Yeah, well you're not a doctor, but I can still call you one," Rose shot back.

"Then maybe you shouldn't call me Doctor anymore," John said, sulking.

"Well, maybe you're not a licensed doctor, but you make people better," Rose replied softly, taking his hand. When he scoffed, she protested. "It's true. You made me better," she added sincerely.

"You made me better too, Rose," John said, staring at her with his intense blue eyes.

After a few minutes of silence, Rose spoke up again.

"Seriously, Doctor, what's wrong? Jack and I were just dancing. It's not like it was with-with Adam," She said, looking away as he did the same, both uncomfortable with the mention of Adam.

"It's not that. It's just, you just assume I don't-" John said before cutting himself off.

"Don't what?"

"That I don't dance," John said quietly, trying not to blush.

"Well, do you? Do you dance, Doctor?" Rose asked, half teasing, half serious.

"Rose, I'm 40 years old. You can assume that in all those years, I've danced," John replied, offended.

"Oh, I don't know. That's a little hard to believe, considering I've known you for six months, and I haven't once seen you dance."

"Maybe it's 'cause the only girl I want to dance with always seems to be dancing with pretty boys," John said before he could stop himself.

"Maybe, the girl you want to dance with dances with other men because she doesn't think you think of her like that," Rose replied, blushing slightly.

"Rose-" That was all he got out before she leaned in to snog him just as Jack came back with the drinks.

It became easier for them after that. John and Rose, in their old, unreliable blue car, traveling across America, just as it should be. Sure, they fought, but they always ended the night in each other's arms, exhausted from their lovemaking. It was three months after San Francisco, that John and Rose exchanged their first "I love you's."

It was after another two months that John raised up the question of Rose contacting her mum. Rose was extremely reluctant to do so, but Rose knew that her mum deserved to know everything that had happened to her. So, together, they bought plane tickets back to London.

By the time they reached the Powell Estates, both Rose and John were nervous wrecks. it had been a year since Rose ran away from home and she knew her mum would be so disappointed in her. And John knew that Rose's mum would not approve of him. How could she? He was twice Rose's age and he was a complete stranger to Rose when he asked her to come travel with him. He knew he must look like an old man taking advantage of a young girl.

Slowly, they made their way to Rose's front door, and when she opened it she hesitantly called out for her mum.

"Rose? My god, is that you?" a voice rang out from inside the apartment. Into view came a woman with bleached blonde hair and a track suit. Rose's mum. And she was not happy.

Rose sat her mum down and explained what she had been doing the past year and Jackie Tyler was not taking it well. When Rose was done explaining herself, John was shocked to see a hand flying towards his face as he heard Rose shout out "Mum!"

As Rose sat John down at her kitchen table, searching the freezer for a bag of frozen peas, he told her, "You know, I've never been slapped by someone's mother in all the years I've been alive."

At his comment and subsequent grin, Rose couldn't help but launch herself into his lap and snog him until her mum walked in and gave John another slap.

It was a while before Jackie warmed up to him.

To say that John was angry would be an understatement. How could Rose call his sister and tell her to come by her mum's apartment, where they were both staying temporarily? He sat brooding in Rose's very pink bedroom while she went to answer the door. When Rose called out for him, he reluctantly went out to greet Sarah Jane. Upon seeing her brother, Sarah Jane's eyes filled with tears as she ran up to hug him. John was surprised to find himself holding back tears as well.

After a long day of John trying to explain himself to his sister, John was exhausted. He lay in Rose's bed while she went about the room getting ready to join him. When she was finished, she hesitated before laying beside him, but not daring to touch him. He reached for her anyway.

"I'm sorry, John," Rose said quietly after a few minutes of silence. "I just thought she deserved to know you were back in London. You two are the only family you both have left."

"I know, Rose. And thank you, for contacting Sarah Jane. I wouldn't have been able to contact her myself, I felt so guilty for running," John whispered, holding her close as they fell back into silence.

"Doctor?" Rose said hesitantly.

"Yes, Rose?"

"You're happy aren't you? You don't feel like running do you?" Rose said, biting her lip.

"Of course I'm happy, Rose. And I would never run from you," John assured her.

"Not a bad life?" Rose said with her tongue in teeth smile.

John didn't respond right away. Instead he reached into the night stand on his side of their bed and pulled out a small box.

"Better with two," he told her, opening the box to reveal a beautiful ring with a blue sapphire as blue as their old car in America. Rose immediately jumped into his arms and snogged him. It was a few hours before he could finally put the ring on her finger.

John kept his promise. When all the wedding plans Jackie and Sarah Jane threw at him started to become suffocating, he took Rose with him when he ran. They ran off to Paris, where they planned to elope, even though it almost didn't happen after they had a huge argument while there.

John had let his insecurities about him being so much older than Rose get the best of him as she made friends with a blond French boy, who was very much younger than John, and very much a pretty boy. It was only after a long few days of talking, that Rose and John got married. They called the very irate Jackie that night as well as the somewhat amused, but still a little annoyed Sarah Jane. She had a feeling they would elope. Sarah Jane Smith knew her brother very well, after all.

It was only until two years later that Rose and her Doctor stopped running. She had just given birth to their son, Peter Jack Smith, and she was cradling him in her arms in the hospital with a very happy John by her side.

"Feel like running?" Rose asked, fighting the sleep that was coming. It was something he asked her husband whenever they did something he considered domestic. She asked him when they bought a flat, when they exchanged that flat for a house, and the last time she had asked was when she told him she was pregnant.

"Nope," John said, smiling down at his wife and child, "No more running."


End file.
